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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26911855">you taught me what a life is for</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/interstellarbeams/pseuds/interstellarbeams'>interstellarbeams</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Outer Banks (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Baby Fic, Canonical Banter, Children of Characters, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Future Fic, JJ and Kie make an adorable baby, Living Together, Newborn Children, baby’s first bath</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:22:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,113</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26911855</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/interstellarbeams/pseuds/interstellarbeams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Marley’s first bath and she doesn’t seem to be a fan. Kie and JJ sort of freak out.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>JJ &amp; Kiara (Outer Banks), JJ Maybank &amp; Kiara Carrera, JJ/Kiara (Outer Banks)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>70</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>you taught me what a life is for</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24030661">spinning in circles (hoping one day i face you)</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfchester/pseuds/wolfchester">wolfchester</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks to Sarah for such an inspirational original work and to Lara for making sure this wasn’t full of mistakes. 😘</p><p>Title is from <i>Light Me Up</i> by Ingrid Michaelson. I encourage a listen. 😁</p><p>Just another little drabble based on <i>spinning in circles</i>. Hope you enjoy! </p><p>Kudos and comments are appreciated! 💕</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kie thought she had everything ready, that this moment would be perfect, but then Marley started screaming as soon as they put her in the bath. Her little newborn face scrunched up and red, her mouth hanging open, wailing.</p><p>“What’s the matter with her?” JJ immediately asked, his own face scrunched in an unhappy face as they stared at their newborn, hovering over the sink.</p><p>“I don’t know.” Kie felt dread settle in her stomach. Marley’s first bath and she was already a bad mother. </p><p>“Is the water too hot?” JJ shot at her, hands hovering over top of the squirming baby who let out another burst of outraged crying.</p><p>“No! I mean, the thermometer says it isn’t. Maybe it’s defective.” Kie stuck her hand into the scant inch of water in the bottom of the sink but it barely even felt warm to her. “Maybe it’s too cold.” </p><p>JJ followed her example and stuck his hand in the water, as well, his fingers grazing against hers before he pulled back. Despite the situation, Kie felt a slight moment of disappointment but then she brought her attention back to their offspring. </p><p>“I don’t know. I crank it up as hot as it will go so everything feels cold to me.” </p><p>“Get my mom on the phone.” Kie waved over her shoulder to where her phone sat on the kitchen table. She was going to take some photos of Marley’s first bath but now she was afraid to commemorate the moment when her baby girl was hiccuping she was crying so hard.</p><p>“Maybe she doesn’t like water.” She spoke again, trying to reassure herself.</p><p>“How? We’re in the Outer Banks and her parents are both surfers. How could she not like water?”</p><p>“How do I know?” Kie practically yelled, then clapped her hands over her mouth. It was not the time to panic, maybe if she started washing her she would calm down. </p><p>“Shhh, shhh.” Kie hushed the girl, reaching her hand into the water and setting a soft hand against her leg, then she moved her other hand to the top of her head. The downy hair on top felt like the goose down feathers that flew out of her parents' pillows that one time the boys came over and they had a pillow fight — unbeknownst to the Carreras, of course. “It’s okay, mommy’s here.”</p><p>Marley’s cries quieted but her chest shuddered with each breath and Kie felt horrible. They had to clean her, she had caked on spit up and something crusty on her arms and for the life of her Kie couldn’t figure out what it was. She had to get clean, she just hated that her baby hated the bath so much.</p><p>“Anna? Hey, uh— maybe not so urgent now, but uh— Marley. Yeah, she uh— started screaming as soon as we put her in her bath. Yeah, I know. We checked the temperature and everything. Do you know what… What we can do?” Kie knew JJ hated asking for favors, but with Marley’s well being on the line, he would ask anyone, even his worst enemy for help. </p><p>Kie continued to smooth her hand over Marley’s head as she listened to JJ talk to her mom. Gratefulness welling in her chest that she finally seemed to be settling down. “I guess it is a new experience for you, little one. I know surfing was terrifying at first but once I got used to it, it became one of my favorite things to do, like <i>ever</i>.” </p><p>“Mhmm. Okay? I’ll let her know. We’ll talk soon. Okay, bye.” </p><p>“What did she say?” Kie turned her head to shoot a quick glance at him before turning back to the baby.</p><p>“She said, that you, uh— apparently hated baths till you were like four or five. It was like wrangling a herd of feral cats trying to get you clean.”</p><p>“She did not!” If she hadn’t had both hands in the sink, Kie would have whacked him in the chest or shoulder, whichever was closest. </p><p>“I swear! That’s what she said.” JJ’s eyes were laughing, but even then it was hard to tell if he was pulling her leg or enjoying the fact that this was her fault — if the line he was giving her was true. She would have to check back with her mom later.</p><p>“Okay… besides stories about me, what did she give you that was actually practical advice?” </p><p>JJ stepped closer and rested his hands on the edge of the sink, his shoulder brushing against hers. His hair was a rat’s nest after the afternoon nap she had forced him into. He had practically begged her to let him watch the baby while <i>she</i> slept, but she had slept the night before while he was on baby watch, the baby monitor on his bedside table. Fair was only fair. </p><p>“She said she would get used to it, <i>eventually</i>. And to not stress too much cause then it will stress her out.”</p><p>“Yeah, that makes sense.” </p><p>“I guess we should actually bathe her now. Before the water gets too cold.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah.” </p><p>“Um, hand me the baby wash. It’s right there.” Kie tried to point with her elbow. It shouldn’t have been hard to find because he was practically standing right in front of it, but Kie blamed the high emotions of the moment. “Right in front of you, JJ.” </p><p>“Oh! Okay.” JJ offered her a sheepish smile and picked up the bottle. “Uh, what do you want me to do with it?”</p><p>“There’s a small washcloth. Just squirt a little on it and hand it to me.” Kiara tried not to roll her eyes. <i>What did anyone do with body wash?</i> They washed their body with it, but she held in the aggravated sigh that wanted to escape.</p><p>“That’s it. It’s not so bad. See.” She cooed at the baby, when she noticed her myopic eyes on her. At this age, according to all the books she had read, she couldn’t really see all that well, but Kie knew Marley recognized her voice. </p><p>“Alright. Here.” </p><p>“Thanks, babe.” </p><p>“Okay. So, we’re just gonna rub a little here.” Kie spoke out loud as she applied the washcloth to her soft baby skin. She figured even if the baby didn’t know what she was saying she would still react positively to the sounds she was making.</p><p>“I think she likes it.” JJ added, as she squirmed. </p><p>“Uh, no, actually. I think she just peed. There’s a warm spot.”</p><p>“Oh. Right.”</p><p>“I guess we’ll have to let it out and fill it back up again.” <i>Definitely not one for the books.</i> “Hand me the towel.” </p><p>Kie placed the baby in the towel and passed her off to JJ, who bounced her softly and hummed to her as she emptied the sink and started warming the water over.</p><p>“That’s a sweet girl. That’s a good girl.” He muttered over and over again. Anyone else would have thought he was speaking to a dog. A squirmy puppy maybe or an old golden retriever with gray in his fur, but JJ just spoke whatever came to mind. He never sang but he quoted movie lines, spoke out lyrics to songs (sometimes the lyrics were very inappropriate but she couldn’t curb his enthusiasm <i>yet</i>), and once she had caught him reading off a poem from poetry.org that was her favorite of all time. </p><p>Kie’s phone was on the countertop so she picked it up quickly and snapped a picture. JJ’s head was bent over the baby, his blond hair sticking out all over the place, but he had the biggest smile on his face and she couldn’t resist. That was definitely a moment she needed to capture, cause he had had very little moments in his life that gave him a reason to genuinely smile. That picture was definitely a keeper. </p><p>“Okay. It’s ready. Cross your fingers.” She whispered as she took Marley from JJ, rocking her gently for a few moments before she slipped her into the plastic baby tub. </p><p>Kiara couldn’t help holding her breath, releasing it on a sigh when Marley didn’t start crying again.</p><p>“Ah. She didn’t cry.” JJ thrust his fists up into the sky in a victorious motion and Kie laughed lightly.</p><p>“She doesn’t hate it!” They shared excited grins before JJ reached forward and kissed her hard on the side of the head. </p><p>“Yes!” </p><p>“What a good girl!” Kie found herself praising Marley just like JJ as they finished washing her.</p><p>She carried her into the living room, the baby’s unicorn hooded bath towel hanging in her eyes but Kie didn’t have the heart to take it off. It was so adorable and was a gift from the Heyward’s.</p><p>“Take a pic for the Heyward’s. I want them to see this.” </p><p>“Got it!” JJ took a quick picture as soon as she sat down on the couch, Marley in her lap.</p><p>“I think she’s getting sleepy.” JJ murmured as he sat down on the other end of the couch, leaving the space open in the middle so she could lay her down to put her diaper on.</p><p>“It has been a few hours since she slept.” Kie admitted, fastening the diaper around Marley’s little torso.</p><p>“You know… we made a pretty cute kid.” </p><p>“Yeah, we did.” Kie slipped the baby’s arms into her pale pink onesie. She wasn’t the biggest fan of pink, it was often assigned to females because of its softness and because it was non-threatening. Marley would one day be her own person and when she was old enough, she would let her choose her own clothes, but free clothes were free clothes so pink pj’s it was. </p><p>Kie moved over to the rocking chair after she finished dressing the baby, thankful for her parents generosity when she settled into it. </p><p>“Did my mom really say that about me and baths?”</p><p>“Hmm?” JJ glanced up at her, dragging his attention away from Marley’s face.</p><p>“My mom? Did she really say that about me hating baths?”</p><p>“Oh, no. I was just messing with you.”</p><p>“Oh my god! Why did you say that?” Kie pinned him with a glare. <i>Why did I even doubt myself?</i> “I knew I didn’t hate baths. I loved baths as a kid.” </p><p>“It doesn’t matter anyway.” JJ reclined back against the couch and placed his arms behind his head. “She likes them now. And one day she’s gonna be an awesome surfer like me.”</p><p>“You mean like <i>me</i>?” </p><p>JJ shifted his gaze to hers, teasing evident in the blue depths. “I mean, I guess you’re okay.”</p><p>“Thanks, JJ. I really appreciate that.” Sometimes she wondered how she even allowed him to seduce her, but usually only when she was annoyed with him. </p><p>“Come on, Kie. By now you should know when I’m kidding and when I’m not.”</p><p>“Maybe you shouldn’t be such a good liar, ever think about that?” She shot back, but there was no venom behind it. </p><p>“You know I rarely think.”</p><p>“I know you’re smart, dedicated to those you love and a great father.” </p><p>JJ’s smirk dropped and he turned his head, embarrassed to be receiving a compliment. He felt he didn’t deserve them, but Kie would always be there to remind him just how great he was.</p><p>“Thanks, Kie. I mean, you don’t have to say that.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.” Kie felt tears pooling in her eyes and cursed the hormones that were still raging in her. She hated crying but then JJ had seen her at her worst and at her best, just as she had been there for him at his lowest. He supported her throughout the pregnancy and had never balked, even when she had gone back home to her parents. She couldn’t have done any of it without him.</p><p>“God, I hate being so sappy.” She broke the slight tension that had developed between them on a sigh.</p><p>“You could never be too sappy.” JJ smiled at her and an answering smile lifted her cheeks.</p><p>Marley’s first bath might not have gone as expected but she was glad that JJ had been there with her, experiencing it together with their baby. She loved JJ and without their “accident” they wouldn’t have their beautiful bundle of joy. The long labor, Marley’s screaming and crying along with sleepless nights might be trying at times but she wouldn’t trade it for the world. Because her life wasn’t perfect, it was messy, it was unexpected and had it’s failures— incredible highs and painful lows, but it was her life and she loved it.</p>
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